Susan Hoffman, OLLI Director and Assistant Dean of Lifelong Learning, was recently interviewed by a Mercury News reporter exploring what it means to learn later in life. Following the conversation, she was invited to respond to a series of written questions. Her reflections offer a compelling look at why continuing to learn — at any age — matters as much as it does. We thought you’d find her insights both meaningful and inspiring.
What happens in the brain when older adults continue learning new subjects, skills or hobbies later in life?
Thanks to advances in brain imaging and neuroscience research, we have learned that given the right conditions, the brain can continue to grow new neurons and new neural pathways — and even recruit unused pathways — throughout our lifetimes.
We have also learned that cognitive fitness is a whole phenomenon that responds to strategies that engage mind, body and spirit. For example, Berkeley scientists have been researching how lifestyle can impact brain health; UCSF delves into the role of complex and cardio exercise; many researchers are studying the effects of loneliness and stress on the brain. Cognitive fitness is key to healthy aging.
To further our understanding of how learning impacts neuroplasticity and cognitive reserve, we need to consider how memories are formed and retrieved, and how attention and engagement shape what we retain. Dynamic learning is not rote. We have to have new experiences and thoughts, push our abilities and sensibilities beyond our habitual ways of thinking, and challenge ourselves.
How does lifelong learning contribute to cognitive reserve, and why is that important as people age?
Cognitive reserve is important because, as we age, we can recruit new and unused neural pathways to solve problems. Cognitive reserve is built through experiencing cognitive uncertainty and learning. Learning for the benefit of neural plasticity is deeply personal — it requires us to understand who we are as learners and which senses and frames of reference we habitually rely on. A visual learner who deliberately tries an auditory or hands-on approach, or a lifelong reader who takes up a musical instrument, is actively building new neural connections. The brain fitness benefit increases with novelty and challenge.
What does the research say about whether continued learning can help delay or reduce cognitive decline?
The World Health Organization and others have conducted complex longitudinal studies to identify which factors have the greatest impact on healthy aging. The findings show that continuing to learn, staying curious, and actively engaging with novelty and challenge has an even greater impact than other known factors such as demography, socioeconomic class, or race.
How important is the social aspect of programs like OLLI for brain health compared with the educational content itself?
The social dimension of learning is deeply important for brain health in its own right. Research shows that loneliness functions as a chronic stressor that negatively affects cognitive function, while sustained social engagement provides the kind of novelty, emotional connection, and mental stimulation that supports neuroplasticity. The two — social connection and learning content — reinforce each other powerfully.
The social aspect is also central to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute movement. OLLI organizations are designed to create a learning community where members are engaged as learners, leaders and donors. All of these roles give purpose to members' lives and contribute to a sustained community that benefits both individuals and their host campuses. OLLIs are part of an age-friendly ecosystem.
What's the biggest misconception people have about the aging brain and its ability to learn new things?
When I present on learning and neuroplasticity, I often encounter the same resistance: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." "I've already learned everything I need to know." "My genes determine everything."
The research is unambiguous: the aging brain retains a remarkable capacity for growth, and the habits we build matter far more than the myths we've inherited.